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overview
Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
and other greenhouse gases have increased substantially since pre-industrial
times, and are expected to continue their steep rate of increase
if current emission patterns continue. The major human source of
greenhouse gas emissions is burning fossil fuels. ERS research focuses
on how changes in global climate may affect
both U.S. and world agricultural production, and investigates
those agricultural practices—such as conservation tillage or
winter cover crops—that can mitigate
climate change by reducing emissions or increasing carbon sequestration.
More overview...
features
Economics of Sequestering Carbon
in the U.S. Agricultural Sector—Atmospheric concentrations
of greenhouse gases can be reduced by withdrawing carbon from the
atmosphere and sequestering it in soils and biomass. This report
analyzes the performance of alternative incentive designs and payment
levels if farmers were paid to adopt land uses and management practices
that raise soil carbon levels. Amber Waves summary
article (March 2004)
Economic Impacts
of Carbon Charges on U.S. Agriculture—Evaluates the farm
sector impacts that would result from implementing a system of carbon-based
charges on energy-intensive inputs. The analysis emphasizes production
costs, crop acreage, commodity prices, input use, farm income, and
farm welfare. The charges considered—$14, $100, and $200 per
metric ton of carbon—were developed from the literature and
are consistent with reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 1990
levels, minus 7 percent, by 2010 under different levels of carbon
trading and developing country participation. Impacts are relatively
modest for a charge of $14 per mt. Producer and consumer surplus
decline less than 0.5 percent relative to baseline conditions, and
price increases and production declines across crop and livestock
commodities are all less than 1 percent. As the carbon charge increases,
farm sector impacts become more pronounced and the significance
of the aggregate effect becomes more subjective. Climatic Change
(9/01)
recommended readings
Agricultural Adaptation to Climate
Change: Issues of Longrun Sustainability—Early evaluations
of the effects of climate change on agriculture, which did not account
for economic adjustments or consider the broader economic and environmental
implications of such changes, overestimated the negative effects
of climate change. This report focuses on economic adaptation and
concludes there is considerably more sectoral flexibility and adaptability
than found in other analyses.
World Agriculture and Climate Change:
Economic Adaptations (AER-703)—A comprehensive, economically
consistent projection of how climate change might alter the location
and intensity of farming. Directly links detailed climate projections
with distributions of land and water resources, and estimates the
economic effects in the major resource-using sectors (crop, livestock,
and forestry).
See all recommended readings...
recent research developments
Meetings, conference, and activities
of ERS researchers in global climate change.
related briefing rooms
Conservation and
Environmental Policy
Global Resources and Productivity
questions and answers
Important research questions and answers on
issues of climate change impacts, agriculture's
role, and policies to reduce global
climate change.
related links
USDA Global Change
Program Office—USDA-wide coordinator of agriculture, rural,
and forestry-related global change program and policy issues.
U.S. Global Change Research Program—Provides
the foundation for improving predictions of seasonal-to-interannual
climate fluctuations and long-term climate change.
See all related links...
maps and images gallery
Maps related to global climate change.
poll
Are there other global climate change topics not addressed here in
which you would be interested?
email us...
for more information, contact:
Roy Darwin
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: August 17,
2004
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